Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

Chapter XXIV.
Proof of the absurdity of the refusal to glorify the Spirit, from the comparison of things glorified
in creation.
55. Furthermore man is “crowned with glory and honour,” 1188 and “glory, honour and
peace” are laid up by promise “to every man that worketh good.” 1189 There is moreover a
special and peculiar glory for Israelites “to whom,” it is said “pertaineth the adoption and
the glory…and the service,” 1190 and the Psalmist speaks of a certain glory of his own, “that
my glory may sing praise to Thee 1191 ;” and again “Awake up my glory” 1192 and according
to the Apostle there is a certain glory of sun and moon and stars, 1193 and “the ministration
of condemnation is glorious.” 1194 While then so many things are glorified, do you wish the
Spirit alone of all things to be unglorified? Yet the Apostle says “the ministration of the
Spirit is glorious.” 1195 How then can He Himself be unworthy of glory? How according
to the Psalmist can the glory of the just man be great 1196 and according to you the glory of
the Spirit none? How is there not a plain peril from such arguments of our bringing on
ourselves the sin from which there is no escape? If the man who is being saved by works of
righteousness glorifies even them that fear the Lord 1197 much less would he deprive the
Spirit of the glory which is His due.
Grant, they say, that He is to be glorified, but not with the Father and the Son. But what
reason is there in giving up the place appointed by the Lord for the Spirit, and inventing
some other? What reason is there for robbing of His share of glory Him Who is everywhere
associated with the Godhead; in the confession of the Faith, in the baptism of redemption,
in the working of miracles, in the indwelling of the saints, in the graces bestowed on obedience?
For there is not even one single gift which reaches creation without the Holy Ghost; 1198
when not even a single word can be spoken in defence of Christ except by them that are
aided by the Spirit, as we have learnt in the Gospels from our Lord and Saviour. 1199 And I
1188 Ps. viii. 5.
1189 Rom. ii. 10.
1190 Rom. ix. 4.
1191 Ps. xxix. 12.
1192 Ps. lvii. 8.
1193 cf. 1 Cor. xv. 41.
1194 2 Cor. iii. 9.
1195 2 Cor. iii. 8.
1196 cf. Ps. xxi. 5.
1197 cf. Ps. xv.
1198 cf. Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 11; Rom. viii. 11; 1 Pet. i. 2.
1199 Matt. x. 19, 20.
Proof of the absurdity of the refusal to glorify the Spirit, from the comparison…
217